Hands Free Tablet Support Device

ABSTRACT

A hands free tablet support device supports a tablet in a viewable position in front of a person while leaving the person&#39;s hands free. The device includes a harness having a rear section, a middle section, and a front section. The middle section is pivotally coupled to the rear section and the front section is pivotally coupled to the middle section. Each of the front section, the back section and the middle section has a respective cross member. The front section is U-shaped and coplanar with the cross member of the middle section of the harness wherein the front section of the harness and the cross member of the middle section are configured for supporting a tablet thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Field of the Disclosure

The disclosure relates to support devices and more particularly pertains to a new support device for supporting a tablet in a viewable position in front of a person while leaving the person's hands free.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a harness having a rear section, a middle section, and a front section. The middle section is pivotally coupled to the rear section and the front section is pivotally coupled to the middle section. Each of the front section, the back section and the middle section has a respective cross member. The front section is U-shaped and coplanar with the cross member of the middle section of the harness wherein the front section of the harness and the cross member of the middle section are configured for supporting a tablet thereon.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a hands free tablet support device according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a partial back view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a partial front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new support device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the hands free tablet support device 10 generally comprises a harness 12 having a rear section 14, a middle section 16, and a front section 18. The middle section 16 is pivotally coupled to the rear section 14 and may be secured in a static position relative to the rear section 14 by conventional means for securing an otherwise pivotable connection. The front section 18 is pivotally coupled to the middle section 16 and may be similarly secured into a static position when desired using conventional means. Each of the front section 18, the back section 14 and the middle section 16 have a respective cross member 20. Each cross member 16 of the harness 12 is telescopic such that a width of the harness 12 is adjustable to fit comfortably on variously sized persons. Each cross member 20 comprises a pair of outer portions 22 and a medial sleeve 24. Each of the outer portions 22 is telescopically coupled to and extends from a respective end 26 of the medial sleeve 24. Internally positioned flanges 28 may be employed to engage respective lips 30 to prevent each outer portion 22 from disengaging completely from the medial sleeve 24.

The front section 18 is generally U-shaped and coplanar with the cross member 20 of the middle section 16 of the harness 12. Thus, the front section 18 of the harness 12 and the cross member 20 of the middle section 16 are configured for supporting a tablet 32 thereon. The tablet 32 may be supported by friction and gravity or other conventional means may be employed to secure the tablet 32 to the front section 18 of the harness 12. The cross member 20 of the medial section 16 of the harness 12 is pivotally coupled to the front section 18 of the harness 12 in spaced relationship to distal ends 34 of the front section 18 of the harness 12 relative to the cross member 20 of the front section 18 of the harness 12. The cross member 20 of the middle section 16 may be adjustable along a length of side members 66 of the front section 18 as shown in FIG. 4. This may be accomplished in a conventional manner allowing the front section 18 to telescope and retract relative to the middle section 16 while maintaining the cross member 20 of the middle section 16 as the pivot point between the front section 18 and the middle section 16.

The rear section 14 of the harness 12 has a pair of shoulder supports 36 spaced by the cross member 20 of the rear section 14. Each shoulder support 36 has a pair of straight end portions 38 and a medial portion 40 extending between the straight end portions 38. Thus, each shoulder support 36 is substantially U-shaped and may be worn with the medial portion 40 extending over a respective shoulder of a user. The medial portion 40 of each shoulder support 36 is arcuate to facilitating alignment and seating of each shoulder support 36 on the shoulder. Each of a pair of pads 42 is tubular and coupled to and extends over an associated one of the shoulder supports 36 of the rear section 14 of the harness 12. Each of the pads 42 covers a respective one of the medial portions 40 to enhance comfort for the user.

Each of a pair of straps 44 is coupled to and extends between the straight end portions 38 of an associated one of the shoulder supports 36. Each strap 44 has a respective break 46 defining a first section 48 and a second section 50 of the strap 44. Each strap 44 has a respective buckle 52 for joining the first section 48 of the strap 44 to the second section 50 of the strap 44 to assist in securing the harness 12 on the user.

In use, the harness 12 is worn by positioning the shoulders of the user in the shoulder supports 36 with the cross member 20 of the rear section 14 positioned behind the back of the user. The straps 44 are secured on each side of the rear section 14 of the harness 12 using the buckles 52. The middle section 16 and front section 18 are each positioned as desired relative to the rear section 14 such that the front section 18 supports the tablet 32 in a desired position viewable by the user.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A hands free tablet support device comprising: a harness having a rear section, a middle section, and a front section, said middle section being pivotally coupled to said rear section, said front section being pivotally coupled to said middle section, each of said front section, said back section and said middle section having a respective cross member; and wherein said front section is U-shaped and coplanar with said cross member of said middle section of said harness wherein said front section of said harness and said cross member of said middle section are configured for supporting a tablet thereon.
 2. The device of claim 1, further comprising each said cross member of said harness being telescopic such that a width of said harness is adjustable.
 3. The device of claim 1, further comprising each said cross member comprising a pair of outer portions and a medial sleeve, each of said outer portions being telescopically coupled to and extending from a respective end of said medial sleeve.
 4. The device of claim 1, further comprising said rear section of said harness having a pair of shoulder supports spaced by said cross member of said rear section, each said shoulder supports having straight end portions and a medial portion extending between said straight end portions wherein each said shoulder support is substantially U-shaped.
 5. The device of claim 4, further comprising a pair of straps, each of said straps being coupled to and extending between said straight end portions of an associated one of said shoulder supports.
 6. The device of claim 5, further comprising each said strap having a respective break defining a first section and a second section of said strap, each said strap having a respective buckle for joining said first section of said strap to said second section of said strap.
 7. The device of claim 4, further comprising said medial portion of each said shoulder support being arcuate.
 8. The device of claim 4, further comprising a pair of pads, each of said pads being tubular, each of said pads being coupled to and extending over an associated one of said shoulder supports of said rear section of said harness.
 9. The device of claim 8, further comprising each of said pads covering a respective one of said medial portions.
 10. The device of claim 1, further comprising said cross member of said medial section of said harness being pivotally coupled to said front section of said harness in spaced relationship to distal ends of said front section of said harness relative to said cross member of said front section of said harness.
 11. A hands free tablet support device comprising: a harness having a rear section, a middle section, and a front section, said middle section being pivotally coupled to said rear section, said front section being pivotally coupled to said middle section, each of said front section, said back section and said middle section having a respective cross member, wherein said front section is U-shaped and coplanar with said cross member of said middle section of said harness wherein said front section of said harness and said cross member of said middle section are configured for supporting a tablet thereon, said cross member of said medial section of said harness being pivotally coupled to said front section of said harness in spaced relationship to distal ends of said front section of said harness relative to said cross member of said front section of said harness, each said cross member of said harness being telescopic such that a width of said harness is adjustable, each said cross member comprising a pair of outer portions and a medial sleeve, each of said outer portions being telescopically coupled to and extending from a respective end of said medial sleeve, said rear section of said harness having a pair of shoulder supports spaced by said cross member of said rear section, each said shoulder supports having straight end portions and a medial portion extending between said straight end portions wherein each said shoulder support is substantially U-shaped, said medial portion of each said shoulder support being arcuate; a pair of straps, each of said straps being coupled to and extending between said straight end portions of an associated one of said shoulder supports, each said strap having a respective break defining a first section and a second section of said strap, each said strap having a respective buckle for joining said first section of said strap to said second section of said strap; a pair of pads, each of said pads being tubular, each of said pads being coupled to and extending over an associated one of said shoulder supports of said rear section of said harness, each of said pads covering a respective one of said medial portions. 